A symbiotic relationship beginning as early as 1909 between children's homes workers and the Houston Police Department, likely led to the founding of the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in 1915. From its inception, the HCJPD had jurisdiction over all children engaged in delinquent acts, dependent and neglected children, adoption investigations, custody disputes, investigations of insanity (both adult and juvenile), and intake for epilepsy and tubercular state institutions. The department also administered support funds for old-age and mothers' pensions. R. R. Adcock, who first appears in the Auditor's records in December of 1916, was likely the first Chief Probation Officer. By 1918, J. W. Mills had taken over as Chief, and remained in charge until 1932. R. C. Roebuck was the Department's next Chief Probation Officer, serving from 1932 until 1937. W. E. Robertson (1937 - 1952), Paul Irick (1952 - 1961), and R.O.D. Schoenbacher (1961 - ca. 1985), follow in succession. Because of the steady increase in cases throughout agency history, HCJPD was constantly underfunded and understaffed, especially in regards to male, minority, and bilingual caseworkers. The strain becomes most noticeable during the Depression, both World Wars, and in the 1950s and 1960s, with the dramatic increase in population in Houston and Harris County. Juvenile Probation funded and managed several County children's homes serving both dependent and delinquent children. The homes included the Harris County Training School for Girls (1914) of which Ethel Claxton was the first Superintendent and Mary Burnett the first Assistant Superintendent. Other homes established were The Harris County School for Boys (1910), the Bayland Orphans Home (post 1922), Burnett-Bayland (1952) and the Harris County Youth Village (1972). Harris County provided a home for African American girls for 20 years, the Dorcas School (ca. 1915 - 1935) and an emergency shelter, Harris County Children's Home (1961). The county homes were integrated during the 1960s. HCJPD also managed the Harris County Home for the Aged (1922 - 1960), which had segregated facilities for approximately one hundred white and African American residents. In 1968, the HCJPD underwent a major restructuring to concentrate on delinquency cases only. The responsibilities for other services previously provided were assumed by Child Protective Services Division, a state agency, Harris County Social Services, and the Mental Health Department.
From the description of Harris County Juvenile Probation records, (1913-1989). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 182579667